As wireless network technologies become mature and popular gradually, wireless surfing has become an indispensable part of people's daily lives currently. Because the Internet is a part of our daily lives, the associated networking equipment has become must-have household electronic equipment. Network users can communicate with wireless base stations through electronic devices having wireless communication functionality, such as smartphones, digital mobile assistants, notebook computers, or tablet computers. By using this communication method, no physical wire, for example, optic fibers and coaxial cables, is required for connecting to the Internet and browsing and sharing data. It is thereby a convenient networking technique.
A base station is a high-power and multi-channel wireless signal transceiver deployed at a location. The typical application of a base station is to act as a relay station for smartphones, digital mobile assistants, notebook computers, tablet computers, or other low-power wireless communication equipment. The wireless signals transmitted by the above equipment will be received and transmitted by base stations. After receiving and transmitting by multiple base stations, the wireless signals will be sent to the evolved packet core (EPC) server of Internet service providers. Then the wireless signals are transmitted to the Internet through the EPC server.
Nonetheless, as the wireless base station is not connected to the EPC server, for example, when an accident situation occurs due to power failure at the location of the EPC server or damages at the relay nodes, the wireless signal transmitted by the wireless base station cannot be received by the EPC server completely. Then the electronic devices connected with the wireless base station will disconnect from the EPC server. Under such a circumstance, the network application functions in the electronic devices will be unable to function normally.
In addition, some research institutions may need to research wireless networks or some electronic manufacturers may need to test the wireless network functions of electronic devices. Owing to data security concerns or other reasons, the above wireless network functions should be performed when the wireless base station is not connected to the EPC server while a part or all of the functions of the EPC server should be used. Furthermore, some enterprises or government institutions may need to build a closed wireless local area network and the wireless base station is not connected with the EPC server for internal usage.
Accordingly, it has become an important subject of how to enable usage of network application functions for electronic devices when there is no EPC server and the electronic devices still judge that they have connected to one. Alternatively, it is also important to build a closed wireless local area network that enables electronic devices to use a part or all of the functions provided by the EPC server when there is no connection between the wireless base station and the EPC server.